I recently have had the opportunity to see that my work is appreciated and doing its job. Thank you for ending in your thoughts regarding my articles. It's good to know people are reading and enjoying.

I am just reaching out to say Thank You for the article on my company.Recently I received many compliments on the article in your iQ paper. Once I had a chance to read it, I was very pleased with how well we were represented by Katherine Oostman. She did a very nice job researching us and presenting a very positive image.The positive vibe of the article was very much noticed by all of us at Desert Paper & Envelope.

Thanks again and please extend our appreciation to Ms. Oostman.

Cheers,Ella LeeperCEO, Desert Paper and Envelope

My editor recently received this lovely email from a company I wrote about in an article featuring New Mexico made products. I am so thankful to hear that my work has made someone's day, but furthermore glad to know it achieved my purpose: to represent a person or group of people and their goal so that others may serve or be served as a result.

Katherine,Wonderful article thank you so so much!

Andrew Montoya

I visited Andrew and his family at their house where he keeps his garage full of wood and his loft upstairs full of art supplies. It was such a unique experience to see his different pieces in stages spread throughout his house and listen to his take on the art form's history and why it is so meaningful to those who know nothing about it.

Katherine,Thank you for the good words about my exhibition in IQ. Much appreciated.

Best,Cate

Cate Moses is an artist who's exhibit I featured. I love being able to examine a person's work and describe it to others. What a gift to discover and pass on the perspective of others. Below is the link to the article I wrote about Cate's work.

In the same vein as yesterday's post, I decided to try working with Charcoal, something I'd enjoyed using in the past. It didn't lend itself to the texture the way I wanted, but it still created interesting results. I used two landscapes I've taken this past month on a Canon 5D Mark II and 16-35mm lens.

Recently a friend of mine sent me a like to an image someone had created combing a sketch and a photograph. The blend was beautiful, full of texture, color, and style. I decided it was necessary to try it myself. I hadn't dusted off my pencils in a while and maybe it would force me to slow down my process instead of whipping through at the speed of light (digital work seems to amplify my creative impatience). I decided to use the image of the flag I'd implemented into the image I posted yesterday since it was still saved on my computer. I thought what better animal to go with it than an eagle? (I seem to draw animals better than other things).

This is the result of a very sharp 4H pencil, a very dull B pencil, and 3 hours. I'm actually quite shocked that it turned out semi-proportional as I was free-handing it and haven't drawn in at least a year.

Again, this is a stock image courtesy of Google Images that I grabbed to help make my father's birthday present yesterday. I liked the waves that added more texture and the opportunity for different placements regarding the stars and stripes when I merged it with the eagle.

This is the end result. I darkened the base image to make the pencil lines not as washed out (the scan overexposed them so I returned them to my shading on the actual paper). I outlined the bird and adjusted the opacity and exposure on the flag. A super simple process with more value because of the personal touch. I think I might have to experiment with a few more of these!

An inspired friend posted the finished product to Reddit (the place where the original image of inspiration for the product came from), making it my Reddit debut.

My father is always a challenge to give gifts. His hobbies include wine tasting, photography, and playing World of Tanks. He has what he needs, loves what he has, and generally operates contentedly. Gift giving is something I love to do, especially when the gift represents something significant. It's the personal gifts that are remembered and cherished, yes? Over the years, my father has been the biggest fan of my photographical pursuits. And he is consistently awed by what I do in photoshop. Yes, my skills are basic, but you'd never know that from his careful study and specific praised. He is always the first one I run to when I have a new project completed.

I decided, after all that dedication, he deserved his own piece created specifically for him. Something that would be meaningful and encouraging wherever he puts it.

Last summer, my family grew so close. We spent a week venturing around Normandy right before the anniversary of D-Day. We all share a respect and attraction to that war. I took the base photo during one of the reenactments happening while we were there. It was a representation of the paratroopers, best portrayed in Band of Brothers (one of my family's favorite shows/stories). I crossed it with the American flag to add color, significance, and gravity. The quote is my own. It moves the photography beyond history into a image relevant in everyday scenarios.

The project was simple. The occasion is annual. But I'm so glad to have someone who appreciates me and the work that I do. I'm even happier to be able to turn that around and bless him as he has blessed me.